Emma's Choice
by hczen
Summary: Set in the time of The Dark Artifices - Lady Midnight, the story sets up the current status of Emma and Jule's relationship while Clary and Jace arrive to provide a possible helpful tool to help Emma catch her parent's murderer (not fully completed no longer updating)
1. Emma's Anxiety

Emma was getting impatient. Though she was glad the institutes were moving out of the dark ages and into the 21st century the wait between getting a text message about a meeting in eight hours and the actually meeting was eight hours. Eight complete hours of waiting, for some reason getting a fire message from Idris must be less instantaneous it seemed to be followed by a more immediate arrival of guests. She wouldn't be simultaneously excited and anxious about visitors to the Los Angeles Institute if these particular visitors weren't Clary Fairchild Morgenstern and _the_ Jonathan "Jace" Herondale but they were and the anticipation was unbearable.

Perhaps if Julian her best friend and parabatai and herself were on speaking terms, if she

had made more of an effort to form a bond with any of the newly acquired Shadowhunters or had re-established any kind of relationship with Mark she would have someone to help her get through the day. Mark had just returned from a five year absence but prior had been like a big brother to her. Before he was abducted and forced to roam the night skies with an eternal brotherhood of vicious hunters he had been her first crush. Since he hadn't aged while in captivity he was now not only ruggedly handsome but also her age, single and living under the same roof as her. To complicate matters he was also Julian's half brother by blood. Julian whom she lovingly called Jules that despite being her best friend and bound to her soul with magical angelic runes as her parabatai, was also someone whom she was fairly certain she was in love with. Not just that she loved him like he was part of herself but she was pretty sure she was desperately falling in love with him. Of course falling in love with Jules was entirely and utterly against the rules, which was part of the problem the other part being a certain newly established LA Shadowhunter in training that seemed to have designs on Jules as well. This new admirer did not have great timing since Jules was now acting weird, pushing her away and she couldn't even begin to bring up the subject on if he returned any preference to said new girl.

Emma was so torn lately she had dived even deeper into uncovering the mystery of her parents murder, in which every newly discovered clue and disturbance in Los Angeles was leading her to believe was the work of an ancient evil fairy clan that was involved in dark, demonic magic. You would think all this simultaneously happening in her life would leave little room for Emma to think, worry or fret over petty things like her heart breaking but it was the opposite. When a teenage girl is in this much turmoil with no one to talk to it was like every day was an eternity and every possible outcome and scenario ran through her head constantly. Each day she seemed to determine a different and more terrifying end result to her investigations and love life. Last night, she had dreamed Jules and Mark in a double ceremony married two gorgeous fairies who then turned to attack her as she lay helplessly on the ground she saw the entire family of Mark and Jules' the Blackthorns along with her only semi-confident in the Institute her instructor Diana looked down on her with no pity as the fairies marked her body with the same symbols left on her parents remains. The dream ended as she turned to ash knowing she would never get revenge and she would never be mourned. Emma shook her head hard

trying to shake the memory of the dream and glanced at the clock on her phone for the hundredth time waiting for Clary.

She had to talk to Clary. Maybe a girl's perspective especially from a fellow shadowhunter that had fought impossible odds on the fields of battle and love was what she needed. Though in her current state of despair Emma doubted even that would work.

In all fairness Clary had always told Emma she could reach out to her with anything at anytime and a thousand times Clary had written her a text but had deleted if before sending. Even though Emma and Clary only ran into each on an occasional basis Clary had always made an effort to talk to Emma, to ask after her and offer her any advice. Emma desperately hoped she would have the courage to pull her aside and get her advice on at least one of her million issues but Emma wasn't good at opening up. In the past Jules had always been able to tell what was going on and knew exactly what she needed to help her with any emotional distress. The idea of going to Diana mortified her, as she reported to the clave and her thoughts on Jules would be interpreted as breaking the law to the Clave. It was a most absolute rule you do not fall in love with your parabatai. Period. She usually didn't have to so freely volunteer her innermost thoughts to others as was planning on doing today. Also in the past, she never had so many strong, confusing feelings to begin with, she had lived with one emotion controlling her life over the last half a decade, revenge.

Emma had been sitting on the front steps of the institute for the greater part of an hour, even though their guests still weren't expected for another ten minutes. She looked down to notice her nails had been bitten down to nubs and she had a corner of her t shirt bunched up where she had been unconsciously wringing it out. She jumped in surprise when the door opened behind her and Julian stepped out into the LA twilight that was descending on the institute and the ocean in front of them. The light was basking everything in the few remaining rays of golden sunset surrounded by varying shades of color the darkest a deep cobalt blue.

"Surprised you?" Jules asked.

Emma just threw him a sharp look that said don't test me today. She was still sore from the cold shoulder she had been getting from him the last two and a half days. Ever since they had been fighting in the training room and she had pinned him down with her knees each one braced against one his shoulders. She had leaned down to smile and whispered in his ear "Got you!" When she subconsciously began leaning forward staring at him taking in his scent and the feel of him under her. He had went stiff and looked her right in the eyes moving both his hands behind each of her knees. She had felt so flushed and awkward and was almost certain he could read the longing in her eyes. She was pleading with him silently but her mind and eyes begged, "Do something, say something. We are as alone and closer to each other physically than we have been in weeks." Instead he pulled her legs out from under her as he quickly pulled himself back with both elbows so that she landed on her back between his legs. He abruptly stood up by not so gently brushing the rest of her weight off of him in one fell swoop and stormed out of the training room. She had been so stunned she didn't even yell a witty remark or move to stop him has he gave her one last glance before the door slammed in between them. His look had been so distraught had he known what she was thinking? Had he been disgusted that his parabatai had leaned in to touch his lips with her own? Or had he had a similar feeling and unable to process it left? At first, for some unknown reason Emma had convinced herself the latter were true. She knew Jules, she really really knew and understood him. She wasn't torn apart alone, they both were, right? She had to be right she had told herself and like any sticky situation that Jules and herself had gotten themselves into she was going to find a solution. She was determined to discover a way they could explore their feelings without breaking one of the cardinal rules of being a Shadowhunter. That train of thought lasted maybe two hours by

at dinner that night Julian had been so distant and cold. His behavior so inexcusable the last two days ignoring her completely. Then to top it off multiple times she had caught him laughing and overtly flirting with every female shadowhunter that was not related to him and was not her that he crossed paths with in the institute. Always in front of her somehow which seems impossible considering what a large building they live in that she had basically just given up. Given up on her theory and compiled a list of new ones in which Jules felt nothing for her romantically. She had completely given over to the idea that not only would she never find out if she was falling for Jules he had no interest in being part of her trial run at love.

"What have I done?" Jules finally followed up with. "Just came out for a breath of fresh air." His tone was dripping with sarcasm and he wouldn't meet her ruffled his hand through his wavy, chocolate locks giving Emma an unneeded, in her opinion, view of his lean and muscled arm.

"Nothing." Emma sighed in a resigned voice, which was really, really not her typical nature. Once upon a time Emma gave up on nothing, now she was just so exhausted mentally and physically by it all she, she felt as though she was constantly throwing in the towel. At her tone Jules actually scanned her face undoubtedly taking in the circles under her eyes, the hair pulled back loosely from her face. Not her customary tight high pony to keep her straight blond mane under control while battling demons. She had no idea what her expression held just knowing if it was any reflection of her inner thoughts and feelings it was a mess.

"Just anxious to see Clace." Emma added trying to sound slightly more upbeat and less distraught.

"Clace?" Jules replied utterly confused.

"Apparently it's what the noobs call Clary and Jace." Emma stated matter of factly she couldn't help but smirk.

Emma had recently refused to call the newly ascended anything but noobs. Which was really better than most the monikers the established Shadowhunter descents had given them.

So much had been changing in their Shadowhunter realm, the Academy was pumping out newly turned Shadowhunters some from the mundane world, otherwise from previous established families that held left the world of Shadowhunting over the past several centuries. Thank the Angel demon activity was at an all time low. So many inexperienced fighters out there often meant a routine mission could easily get you injured by one of your own hunting party. Jules had so much more patience than Emma for the new recruits. They had wished for more fighters their age when they were kids but she had grown up in or around the institute with just the handful of Blackthorns and the occasional visiting Shadowhunter up until almost adulthood. Now having new faces and personalities pushed on you some of them permanent additions to the LA Institute in a short period of time had felt like a violation to Emma. The only fresh recruit Emma had bothered to tolerate was Seth who had grown up in LA son of a tv producing father and grandson of a somewhat famous black and white film star. His grandmother had been trained as a Shadowhunter but had fled at ten years old after her parents had been eaten in front of her. Unexpectedly he'd talked Emma into watching mundane films with him. Before he had discovered his calling as a Shadowhunter Seth had wanted to become a motion picture director. Watching the movies and pointing out the multitude of mistakes in fight scenes had become Emma's new guilty pleasure. An added benefit was her new found mundane vocabulary drove the Blackthorns and Diana crazy.

"Noobs?" Jules exasperated. His response brought an even bigger smirk to her face she forgot she had just caught on to this word over the last few days after a long discussion on the incorrectness of video game fight scenes she had had with Seth and his friends. Jules just sighed behind her but seemed to relax a little, seeing that Emma was at least amusing to herself. That was something at least, he understand she wasn't in a great state of mind but her smile suggested she still had hope. Or at least Emma thought she did, for now at least.

Out of nowhere a portal appeared and Clace was emerging holding hands.


	2. Clace's News

The four of them had decided to stay on the steps of the institute placing themselves on different stairs and watching the last of the sun go down. It was late spring so the sun wasn't setting early

and it just dawned on Emma is must be pretty late at night for the east coasters, She was surprised to hear Clary say they had been in Phoenix the last few days so her inner time clock was off.

Emma hadn't noticed before that though it appeared they had both showered and been fed that their slightly rumpled clothes and gear packs strapped to their backs indicated they had been essentially living out of suitcases.

"Do you want to come in get some fresh gear, crash or something?" Emma asked eager at the idea of them staying perhaps the night She needed time to approach Clary alone.

"We need to get back to NYC before morning," Clary stated."Thanks but I'm actua

lly desperate for my own bed and gear. Even if New York is just my second home anymore." She seemed tired to Emma.

She heard Jace mutter, "Separate rooms, twin size beds, can't wait."

"Well I don't want to keep you so what did you want to talk about? We can get you inside to the boring adults." Emma stated glancing a knowing look at Julian. Though the two of them weren't considered adults yet they had done all the running of the institute for years now.

"Actually I texted you directly since this really concerns you and of course Julian as he'll be fighting alongside you." Clary replied.

"Fighting?" Emma stated a little too excitedly. She could feel her hand twitched towards Cortana her most trusted weapon. A good old fashion demon slaying fest was just what her broken spirit needed right now she thought to herself.

Jace let out a small laugh at that "Calm down killer nothing immediate Clary has just been working on a new mode of transportation and of course it involves my new command of the Sexies."

"Sexies?" Jules interrupted

."Super Elite Extraordinary International Exceptional Shadowhunters" Jace responded with the most serious face Emma was taken back.

"We are NOT calling our group the Sexies." Clary stated exasperatedly but she couldn't help a smile and glance at Jace.

He was sprawled across the bottom most stair lounging back over a series of steps like the supermodel he would me made into if any of the mundane talent agencies in town ever could spot him. It was a loss to mundanes they couldn't see past his glamour rune that hid him from

their eyes. Even in his worn down jeans, plain white v neck tee and motorcycle jacket he seemed to be a high gloss magazine ad come to life. Emma couldn't blame Clary for stealing a glance. Jealousy pitted her stomach she didn't envy Clary that she had Jace, even though no one would blame her, she envied Clary the adoring look of golden puppy dog eyes Jace flashed back at her

"But it only makes sense love everyone refers to my innermost circle as Sexies behind our backs. Time to accept it." There was such pure love and desire in his eyes with just a hint of teasing.

"I don't." Jules he did a sideways glance at Clary taken in her petite but perfect frame. She was strapped in what looked like a band shirt and broken in black shadowhunter issued pants and boots. Emma didn't blame him either, the years had toughened Clary's body it was lean and the toughness suited her face and pronouncing her curves making her more attractive than Emma had ever given her credit for previously. Emma thought she was the only that noticed the up and down from Jules, Clary was oblivious still taking in the view of Jace then turning her attention back to the sunset. Jace shot a look at Jules that let Emma know he had noticed as well.

"An exception to every rule I guess." Jace replied with a little acid to his voice.

This caught Clary's attention bringing her gaze back to the group, "Sorry you guys I am just so tired let me give you the update. We had informed Arthur of everything he never really

responded." Clary stated with a slight inflection that almost made the statement a question as if she was confused. Assuredly the correspondence was confusing knowing the mental state of Arthur, Julian's uncle and head of the LA Institute was a fragile thing and varied from day to day. Emma glance at Julian his head was resting in between his two hands that were rested on his knees. He was sitting on the step directly behind her to her left with his feet resting on the same step as her. She wanted to reach out and lay her hand on a knee showing her support he looked disturbed by Clarys words but not surprised, he was used to covering for his uncle.

"He's had a lot on his plate with the killing spree going on in LA. Shadowhunters and fairies showing up dead left and right."Julian responded to her statement.

Clary and Jace exchanged a quick look, they obviously knew of the problem but looked as if they had enough on their plate as well. He sounded a little defense but not unkind.

"Uncle said you had official clave approved business for us, I didn't get the feeling he needed to know more than that."

Emma glanced at him surprised. She could tell he wasn't lying but she also had not been privy to that information, something that just last week Jules would have shared with her right away.

"Yes," Clary perked up a little, "I'm excited about it. Jace has been working on recruiting and training a group of elite Shadowhunters based out of Idris. We've been living in the countryside there for almost two years now though we travel back and forth to Alicante daily I've been working on adding new runes to the Gray book why Jace gets to play GI Joe Commander all day." She sounded slightly jealous and Emma couldn't blame her she would much rather

be studying with a blade in hand than a book. Emma was also proud that she understood the reference to GI Joe thinks to her noobs and mundane movie marathons.

"They have a whole committee thinking of new runes that would be useful and forcing Clary to figure out how to bring them to life." Jace stated grudgingly, "It's a miracle we were let out at all."

"But," Clary interrupted," My rune power doesn't really work like that I am better off figuring out how to make something work in the field while in battle and some of their ideas just won't work period."

"Like seriously there was a suggestion Clary make rune that will make your hair change color to disguise you as you run from a demon," Jace snorted.

"That I think I can actually do" Clary said "but better camouflage you completely but half of the demons we fight our blind they just sense our Nephilim blood. And I don't want fighters running, I want ways to kill demons and heal people those are my main goals."

"So steps in my super sexy squad. SSS?" Jace directed the last part as a question to Clary she just shook her head no. Jace followed up by stating, "My to be named team will be dedicated to helping Shadowhunters around the world when they are fighting a losing battle they can call upon us and Clary can transport us to their aid."

Emma absorbing the idea of this news was excited. The idea that when she caught the people behind her parents murder, even if she was outnumbered she could instantly have a group of badass hunters like Jace, Clary and doubtless the Lightwoods maybe even Magnus Bane a powerful warlock, at the push a button but that's not really how portals worked.

"How do you plan on managing that? You can only portal to a place you know or someone else with you knows or you've had some training studying the place and an object from there. I mean I can't create portals and I may have failed that pop quiz but it's something like that right?" Emma was on the edge of her seat she had to hear how this would

work it must work. It could be the key to her winning this battle when the time came.

"Well you are pretty close on your list of portal limitations it's not an exact science," Clary stated,"I've altered the rune only slightly and I can make it take me to a person not just a place. So say you were in the sewers of LA below a building I've never heard of or seen but there was a clear space where you could place your hand and call to me. I could make a portal to that spot."

"Seriously?! Emma exclaimed. She couldn't hide it anymore she was salivating at this information. "How do I call you? What are the limitations? How long will it take you to arrive?"

Clary looked excited too, " I actually got the idea from these fairy rings that have helped me and hurt me in the past." She pulled out a small silver ring and handed it over

to Emma. "We haven't replicated them yet but I have a few confiscated from Queen Seelie and I want you to have one. I know you well enough to visualize and with the demon activity going on in LA you are one of my first priorities. Wear this, then turn the ring with your other hand and call out to me in your mind. It's kind of like talking to yourself. Ill be connected to you and able to portal to your side. You can even give me quick details about what personnel and weapons to

bring, what the situation is etc or just scream in panic and at least you know Jace and me there instantly.

"Or as long as it takes us to get dressed." Jace stated in almost a seductive tone to

no one in particular. Emma had the feeling his mind was elsewhere and the elsewhere involved him and Clary naked. Clary's slight blush helped fuel her suspicions.

"Thank you so much." Emma stated. This more than made up with their not asking questions or volunteering to help with the investigation ongoing in LA she had a feeling Clary felt guilty about not reaching out to Emma lately."Seriously this is the best idea I've ever heard, like ever, and I'm honored." She eyed the ring feeling like it was the ring of power to rule all the kingdoms, man she had been watching too many movies but at least the Lord of the Rings did a good job on their orc costumes, she swore she'd once seen a very old and twisted fairy that looked just like one of them.

"Want to try it out?" Clary twisted a similar small, silver fairy ring shaped like leaves and Emma heard "Hello anybody on there?" But Emma saw Clary's mouth didn't move she stood straight up out of shock. It was like talking to a silent brother but with much more humanity to the voice

"It works!" She said out loud. Then she closed her eyes and repeated "It works!" In her mind.

Clary replied, "Yes it does so now that no one can hear us what's up with you and Jules?"

Emma grimaced in shock, her face felt suddenly warm and stated out loud, "If you can call me about that I think it will take more time to explain than you have right now." The boys exchanged a look with each other.

"I don't know if giving our girls a secret communication device was the best idea." Jace stated. Jules straightened uncomfortably, Emma was sure it was at her being called his girl even though up until recently that wouldn't have bothered him, he would have known anyone

meant her when someone was referring to his girl. Emma's heart painfully contracted at the thought that she was no ones now, not her parents, not Mark's, not Mr. and Mrs. Blackthorn, not even Jules'. She was no ones and the desire to find someone to take it out on was the only thing keeping her going and now she had the power of the best shadowhunters in the world literally at her beck and call. She hugged Clary something she had just gotten comfortable in doing over the last year or so and Clary hugged her back.

"I'll be in touch with more details and to discuss those others topics." Clary whispered.

Jace stood up and stretched. "Off we go Clary but I'm giving you an energy rune first." He took in her tired face and seemed concerned. Jace was probably right in his disgruntled talk about the Clave using Clary. The Clave had come along way in the last five years but she could imagine how much pressure was on Clary and how many people out there we're dying to use her powers.

"Have you tried this portaling to a person yet?" Emma realized she needed to know this worked for sure. "

"That's how I got to you tonight. I've never been here before not even seen a picture." Clary replied.

"Oh I thought maybe Jace had." Emma shrugged.

"Jace has been here before he was plan B but I wanted to try it out on my own worked like a charm" Clary reached around her and picked a hair out of Jules head.

"Ow!" was his only reply though he looked completely shocked.

"Sorry Jules! In case Emma is hurt and you need to use the ring, it should fit but I'm more attuned to Emma this might help me." Clary explained with a guilty shrug of shoulders. She put the hair in a vile while Jace gave her runed her arm and grabbed her hand he seemed ready to go.

"You know we could just portal to Idris and our very large one king size bed." Jace was giving her the full force of his sexy eye with this statement.

"Magnus' birthday party." Clary replied while she put the vile away and was searching

for something in her bag retrieving a stele.

"He's literally had hundreds he probably won't even bother putting this one to memory."

"Maybe not but Alex will never forget or let it go." The two of them exchanged.

"If there are glittery male models cage dancing at this one I am out. Unless of course they reserved my own personal cage so I can shame the lessor specimens with my

own display of awesomeness."

Clary busted up laughing at that one. "I am pretty sure this year the theme is under the sea, I'd love to see you as a mermaid."

"I could be Poseidon the ladies would love that! Happiness is the exercise of one's vital abilities along lines of excellence in a life that affords them scope. " Jace stated quoting something or another that Emma had failed to study.

" Still going" stated Clary.

"Seriously Magnus and Alec have had like ten honeymoons I don't think they would begrudge me one weekend with my fiancee." There was something bitter in Jace's voice that Emma couldn't quite put her finger on but it reminded her of something she'd wanted to ask Clary about. She glanced at the Herondale ring hanging from a chain around Clary's neck and the Morgenstern ring on Jace's finger.

"Bye you two. I swear I'll be in touch soon." Clary stated as a portal sprung up behind her and she stole another glance at the very quiet Julian.

Jace began to step through when Emma seized the fairy ring and twisted it. "I've been meaning to ask," Emma stated her in mind, "Why aren't you and Jace married yet?" It had been five years since the new accords and the days of the endarkened. As far as Emma knew Jace and Clary had been together the whole time happily together in fact, apparently living together the last two years. They were young but in their early twenties no one would object

that she could think of.

Clary stated out loud with a sigh that spoke volumes, "Long story." Emma saw Jace's head turning slightly their way as he began to evaporate into the portal and Clary just shrugged her shoulders at Emma and turned following him through to what appeared to be a small glimpse of the New York skyline.


	3. Library Exchanges

Emma noticed movement in the corner of her eye. Mark had taken his now customary seat across from her at the end of the same library table. It was the third day in a row and she no longer that it a coincidence.

"Evening." She drawled in a sarcastic tone.

Mark's tone was even rougher around the edges like he hadn't spoken all day, "Evening, Emma."

"working on something?" She questioned starting to feel annoyed by the intrusion, though she had been staring at the same piece of paper for the better part of the last hour without any progress.

"No, not really," stated Mark, "Just remember I used to spend a lot of time in here, though I don't particularly remember what I would do with that time."

"You always had your nose in a book, though I don't really remember what it was you were always reading about." Emma replied feeling sorry for Mark in spite of her general, hostile mood. "You wouldn't perhaps be willing to look at a text for me?"

"The note the fairies gave you? I was hoping to have a better look at it, not sure how much help I will be," Mark replied with no surprise. Emma suspected this is why he had been conveniently appearing in the library every night. Though Emma had little trust in the faeries at the moment and was less sure of Mark's loyalties than she would like to admit she really couldn't see the harm in handing over the document. Surely he knew more about the wording of faerie rhymes than her. She handed the scroll over and turned back to fire up her computer.

Mark spent a long, quite ten minutes going over what she had finished of the translation thought it was barely half completed and she was really only confident in about half of the translation that she had managed to piece together. Emma turned back to her lap top now sprung to life. Emma had created an interactive map of the area with marks of the attacks she was certain were all linked. She had also created a digital pin board of facts, evidence, dates and time lines. She felt there was a pattern that she was missing a very obvious pattern but like everything else swirling around her mind at the moment she was making no progress. She looked up to see Mark staring at her. He seemed genuinely interested in what she was thinking like he was trying to read her expression or mind, she really hoped he hadn't gained some new deep insight from the fair folk because upon looking eyes with him she was thinking of how he looked even more handsome than when he was really sixteen years old and hadn't spent what seemed to him an eternity riding the night sky. She often wanted to ask him about the Wild Hunt but knew it wasn't his favorite subject and every other resident of the LA Institute had badgered him about it at one point and time already.

"So?" She questioned more interested than impatient.

"I think you are translating this to exactly." Was his response not moving his eyes from her at all, Emma started to feel goosebumps appear on her arms from the intensity of the gaze.

"Huh?" Was all she was able to muster as a reply.

"Instead of concentrating on the exact type of tree referenced, the type of animal or descriptive word perhaps we should just note this references to a part of a flower, this reference is to a winged animal," He finally broke the gaze and continued speaking head down over the scroll. "Often in fairy tales is more about the moral of the story than the actual items referenced. Such as Hansel and Gretel it doesn't matter their names or that they left bread crumbs in their wake versus pieces of cheese the main point of the story is not to get greedy and take something that is not yours or you fall into a trap. It's not important that the witch wanted to seduce them and bake them the important lesson for her was not to underestimate the love and sacrifice of siblings. Though I don't know each word you are trying to decipher from this older, demonic, elven language you can tell me the accents and placings of the vowels which ones refer to say a time of day and which refer to a color. Once you have the gist of the actual story we can determine what the point of the story may be then decide which keywords to concentrate on. We might also find the text harkens to a more current fairy tale or mirrors another tale and we can decipher the true meaning or lesson."

"That's funny," Emma replied, "I keep referring to this in my head as a fairy tale, besides the story coming from faerie land something about the rhyming and non-sense of it seems more like a fable more than a history lesson. I think I kind of see where you are going with this but I might need you to try and decipher a line I don't know if I know where to start. Do you think this will help me or I mean us solve it more quickly?" Emma had noticed that he started referring to you then changed this to we half way through his explanation. At this point she didn't see how getting some help from him would hurt. The fairies seemed to want to solve this as much as her and the most double crossing Mark could do would be to update the fair folk on her progress behind her back. The faeries had given her the text to begin with if they wanted to threw her off the path of the killer they could have given her a much more obvious clue. She also thought that even if this scroll was to waste her time it wasn't the only investigation she had opened she was using her Shadowhunter training to track the killer without the aid from the scrambled scroll.

"what are you working on there?" Mark asked. Emma thought of how to reply without giving too much of her investigation away. Mark didn't know how much or how little actual progress she had made with the faeries help.

"Have you ever watched mundane movies? The action movies with cops and robbers and mysteries?" Emma asked. The expression on Mark's face was enough to tell her he had never in his life bothered with such nonsense but she waited for him to shake his head no.

"Well, they have ways of solving mysteries and tracking the bad guys," she explain to Mark, hoping if he was spying on her this would give him something to chew on. Then she added just for fun, "Sherlock Holmes always gets his man."

They sat in silence for the next half hour or so Mark copied down a portion of the scroll to spend the night deciphering using his vague but possibly perceptive method. She couldn't help but glance at him occasionally as he worked, this studious looking Mark reminded her more of the boy they lost than anything he had done since his return. When he handed it back to her they slightly brushed hands and she noticed how strong and calloused they had become. Emma knew some girls her age were self-conscious of their battle scars, the way fighting and training would hardened the body, the crookedness of often broken fingers and noses but Emma was proud of every callous she had required and hoped despite the painfully way in which Mark may have obtained his roughness that he learned to own it with confidence. She could tell he felt strange among his peers and wished it would fade with time and at some point he felt part of the family again. She knew what it felt like to be an outsider and how she would never have truly felt she was part of the Blackthorn family until she became Julian's parabatai now she was as comfortable as if they were really her family perhaps that's what it felt like to be an in-law. At that thought she dropped her gaze from Mark noticing the roll of her stomach she had dreamed often lately about what it would be like to marry into the Blackthorn family.

She closed the open document she was browsing and opened a large saved context file from her hard drive. It was the entire current copy of the Clave's Laws and Bylaws she had taken it upon herself to learn all her legal options as a Shadowhunter, an orphan, a soon to be Clave employee and adult she wanted to know her rights, especially as a parabatai. As if summoned by her will of though Jules walked into the library. Of course he knew to look for Emma at her usual table but did a double take upon seeing Mark.

"What are you doing here?" She asked a little more briskly than she originally intended, that seemed to be happening to her more and more these days, she wondered if she was losing all self-control.

Julian pulled out the chair next to her and tossed his hair with his right hand leaving a small trace of white paint behind in his bangs and responded, "We need to do a quick patrol tonight down by the pier. It's our turn and apparently earlier there was a scuffle between some wolves and vamps but they all took off because they saw some demonic ghost hanging around the pier."

"That's ridiculous," Emma replied back but she already had her computer shut and was shoving all her papers into her pack on the floor beside her. The wheels in her head were turning, the pier was right on the edge of her digital map having lots of activity around the coast including her parents remains that had washed up shore. She stood to leave, Julian much more slowly falling her out. She turned just before the doors and gave Mark a quick thanks. She couldn't help but noticed his eyes had been trained on Julian with a look of concern. He met her look upon hearing her thanks and slightly inclined his head to acknowledge her. She couldn't help but noticed how the dimming light from the library windows reflected off his gold eye like it was a small burning star that could penetrate into her very thoughts. She almost stumbled as she turned, pulling on Julian's arm.


	4. Pier Problems

Later that evening Julian and Emma were walking up and down the Santa Monica Pier for what seemed like the hundredth time. It was warmer than usually for winter but Emma still had layered a hoodie under her leather jacket and had stuffed her free hand in her pocket. Despite using as many sight, sound and smelling runes she could think of, Emma had yet to produce one clue that any demon ghost or powerful demon at all, had graced the pier with their presence. She had sensor out and it was showing some minimal demonic activity possible from this week and there was evidence that at least few vampires and werewolves had recently partied under the most shallow pilings holding up the pier. Emma realized the Clave undoubtedly had already sent a scout to check the scene out. They had only sent the children, as Jules and her were in their opinion no doubt, just to have someone on the scene in the unlikely case that someone returned if their was ever a demon here in the first place.

Though the night had past in relative silence it was a comfortable one. Jules seemed to almost be his normal self, quiet but thoughtful and at peace. Though they hadn't spent much time alone since he had returned from London a month ago and even less since the incident in the training room, she had started to noticed he was taking his meals at the normal times besides her. The last week he had spent more time painting than socializing with the other shadowhunters which was more like his true character. Perhaps this was because Cristina had her cousin Rosa in town visiting for the last few days but Emma didn't like dwelling on his recent preference to the brunette Shadowhunter. Maybe his return to painting was he had finally found a way to avoid Diego and Cameron. The two boys whom on their own could be annoying enough, together were almost unbearable. As she noticed him returning to his more reclusive nature, she worried that he also seemed to emit a sort of exasperated fatigue.

"Have you been sleeping?" Emma stopped pacing to ask. She could tell by the set of his face he thought the last dozen laps or so she had made in the area where a waste of time. She silently agreed and realized though it frustrated her to no end that she wasn't getting no new leads tonight. Perhaps if she could locate one of the witnesses that reported on the event and question them for information. On second thought she could do that later Jules seemed so tired. She didn't move until he made eye contact and responded.

"I've been sound asleep every night this week, its Ty that cant sleep through the night the last week or so. I have to fetch him books. food and witchlight any and everything just to hope to keep him quiet enough to at least let everyone else sleep." He replied.

"I'm so sorry. I was hoping Church would still be able to help him sleep." She responded. Church was the institute's pet cat that had mysteriously appeared from the NY Institute a few years ago. Church had always taken a liking to Ty and helped sleep through the night for the first time since the attack on Ty's family. Emma didn't know after all this time he had trouble in the night again. "Why didn't you let me know? I could of helped," she couldn't help the defense tone in her voice this is something Jules normally would have shared with her.

"I don't like waking up even more people if I can help it. The noise just tends to snowball every person that gets up will just wake another," He responded.

"What do you think brought on the nightmares again?" Emma asked turning and slowly leading them back to the sidewalk. She glanced back at Julian's face and could tell he had an answer but didn't know how to word it. "Oh, you think because Mark is back? Or just the recent mass murders around the area?" Emma had to chuckle at herself. "I guess it's a wonder any of us sleep. I mean Mark is family and all but I could see him giving people nightmares."

He managed a smirk in response. "He can be so creepy, just the way he talks and looks sometimes. Its like he doesn't even know how to be human anymore. I think that bothers Ty more than anyone else they were always close."

"Yeah but people change." She sighed, "I guess Mark has been through so much we cant expect him to ever be the old Mark. I mean you've been through a lot too, you've changed," She hesitated wanting to ask him why, why he was acting so different now? They had survived the Endarken attacking the institute, they had survive Julian killing his own father to defend his siblings, whom they had raised together. Why did a month apart and a few outside teenage Shadowhunters under their roof change everything? The Institute wasn't home, the Blackthorns weren't home for Emma, since her parents had died only Jules had been home and she wasn't ready to give up on them yet.

"Yeah I guess. So what was he doing in the library?" Julian asked giving her a sideways look as if measuring her reaction to the question.

She sighed making sure she delicately answered him, "He's going to help me with the scroll translation. At least a little bit. I am still trying to play this one close to the vest. It just still seems odd out of nowhere the faeries hand him over and give me a major clue, an unsolicited one at that." She was keeping her face as stoic as possible, if Jules wasn't going to give away his feelings towards Mark now that he was back, she wasn't going to give hers in return. She was still battling the two sides of her the one that wanted to hold Mark, heal him, make him remember how much they all loved each other and the part of her that just saw his alien, faerie side and wanted to chase them from her home, from her Julian as seeing him as this new ghost of his former self almost hurt more than having him on the Wild Hunt.

"Well that's good I guess. Let me know what he comes up with?" He responded turning his eyes back to his feet shuffling along the sidewalk and ruffling his hair with both hands like he really wanted to pull it out. They were now headed towards the parking lot and back in the direction of the car they had borrowed from the institute.

"So you're back on the team solve this thing?" She asked sarcastically. It was the first he had seemed interested in the ongoing investigation since the day Mark returned. She wasn't sure if Julian had given up when they realized the new clue wasn't going to be easy to solve or just being back in LA he had given up on everything that seemed to matter before he had left for London.

"I would love nothing more than to put all of this behind us. Of course I want you to get the answers you want. Its just its been five years Emma. You've put so much of yourself into this investigation. The Clave is looking into it now with all the recent attacks. I just wish you didn't think you have to be the lead investigator. Let someone else take the reigns on this thing for awhile. I worry what you will do if you never solve this." He stated sounding hesitant to hear a response. His words hurt Emma more than he could ever know especially since his words were true. A part of her had been so consumed with vengeance since her parents death she knew she had lost a more innocent part of herself that day. She had also wondered if someone with more distance from the situation would be better suited to solve their murder. She just knew she was missing something obvious, it was tearing her apart. She just couldn't let go, not now, not especially when she felt this was all she had left lately.

"Me too, Jules, me too." Was all she replied. At this she took his arm in hers and slightly leaned into him trying to convey her appreciation of his concern and her forgiveness for their distance lately.

He seemed to stiffen slightly but eventually relaxed and even opened a door for her when they reached the car. Jules hated her driving, which was probably justified, she tended to get distracted. He on the other hand seemed to enjoy driving and was never in a hurry it helped that is was a late, cold night and there was little traffic. Emma scratched some notes out on a pad to add to her pin board of clues or more accurately her pin board of jumbled guesses. She felt like she had fewer and fewer actual leads and information to go on than ever. She was glad it was a long drive being alone this close to Jules she just felt she could breath easier. Then her breathing started picking up pace as she started at Jules hand resting on the console between them. She tried not to dwell on what she was going to do and just took his hand in hers intertwining their fingers together. Julian shot her a quick look then turned back to the road without removing this hand from hers.

"You know if you need to sleep you can come into my room, you won't hear anyone from there," Emma stated matter of factly. She was a sound sleeper and had the furthest possible room from the Blackthorn kids. She had learned the extra minute walk could allow her the extra moments she sometimes needed in the morning.

"Don't you think we are too old to crawl into bed with each other?" Though Jules hadn't meant it in a provocative way that was how his statement sounded he almost appeared to blush in the dark car. "I mean, you know what I mean, what will people think?" He finished with.

"I don't care what people think. Do you?" She questioned. "We've slept in the same bad a thousand times. Why would now be different?" Emma was almost challenging him with the last statement.

"So you don't care what Seth thinks?" He asked.

"Angel no," she laughed. "You know he stays with his parents not at the institute because he has a mundane girlfriend. He loves being a shadowhunter the silence rune comes in handy when he sneaks out to see her at night. I don't think he is one to judge others for sharing some company."

"Really?" Jules seemed shocked by this revelation. "I thought," but Jules didn't finish his sentence.

"We only hang out and watch movies sometimes because he hates studying and training and Cameron has no patience for the movies so I can avoid him," she replied. "What did you think?"

"Nothing," though Jules looked like he was thinking of something she could see his face concentrate like he wanted to broach the subject more. "Why are you avoiding Cameron?"

"Seriously?" She asked. "You've met the guy right? I mean ok we used to date he's not all bad but I think and I know this sounds horrible to say but I really just dated with out of boredom. You were out of town, Cristina was too busy with Diego when they first got to LA and Seth wasn't training with us yet. What about you , do you care what Cristina thinks?"

"Cristina is a cruel creature like the rest of you," he responded.

"Rest of us? Cristina is great." Emma wasn't sure it was in her best interest to be defending her friend that batted eye lashes at Jules whenever she had the chance.

"I just mean pretty girls tend to use guys. Like you said with Cameron right? Cristina just flirts with me to get back at Diego. I really don't mind though, I like it taking him down a peg and Cristina isn't really my type anyways. No harm, no foul," He replied.

"Oh. Well I really didn't mean to use Cameron at the time, I just realized after words I didn't like him that way and maybe if I had other options I wouldn't have bothered in the first place." She stated staring down at their intertwined fingers noticing how delicate Jule's fingers were and imagining them painting and stroking her face. Whoa where did that thought come from? This pulled her attention back to the conversation which was just getting interesting. So now she thought she knew what Jules really thought of Cristina if he was telling the truth. It didn't seem like him to play a part in a ruse just to make another guy jealous..

"Well if you're not interested in Cameron at all feel free to let him know. He talks to me about you constantly like I'm going to give him tips on how to win you back," he replied.

"Uggghh really? Well tell him, not for me mind you but for the next girl. He could stop acting like a Octapla demon with eight tentacles. It took all my years of training to fight him off," Emma responded. She was being playful and not too serious, though there was truth in what she said.

Jules response was to remove his hand from hers and grip the steering wheel. His knuckles were turning white from tightening his grip though he kept his face placid only setting his jaw stubbornly in a grimace for a moment. Emma was disappointed she didn't want to change the mood in the car but also glad that Julian still seemed protective of her even if it was only in a sisterly way. As they pulled up to park at the institute Emma wanted to get one last question in.

"So what is your type?" she coyly asked looking up at him through her eyelashes. He parked the car, unbuckled and reached for the door. Julian turned to her before exiting completely.

"Surely you would know that better than anyone," He stated given her a meaningful look. Then he left the car, shutting the door perhaps too loudly and stormed into the Institute without looking back.

Emma paced her room that night and paced some more. So many things seemed to be bothering her but she couldn't put a name to them all. She started pacing the hallways not sure where she was going when Mark turned the corner. He was holding a witch light stone and looked more mysterious than normal in its very dim light setting.

"Cant sleep?" He asked stopping too close to her for her own comfort. Though why his proximity should bother Emma she couldn't tell you. "You look tired and anxious." He said lightly touching the side of her face and bringing the light closer to her eyes to get a good look. She saw in his golden eye her reflection. She looked beyond anxious like she wanted to jump out of her own skin. It wasn't fear though something about his fingertips that burned to the touch on her face they were so hard and warm. Mark seemed to take this as a sign to leave her alone dropping his hand he took a small step back. "May I make you tea or something?"

"No, no I'm fine," Emma replied weakly. "I'm going to see Jules." She realized she had placed her right hand over her cheek touching the exact spot in which Mark had just removed his hand. Frazzled Emma turned on her heels and headed a little too quickly towards Jules room. When she got to the door she saw Mark was nowhere behind her. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go in or she had just made up this excuse to escape Mark. Something about his presence was so exciting and scary all at the same time. She was not about to risk running into him again so she silently slipped into Jules room. It was pitch black, he was breathing steadily obviously asleep. She had been in this room more times than she could count and soundlessly made her way to the bed where he always left a spot for her on his left side even if it had been a long time since she'd slept there. She slid under the covers and leaned into his side placing her head over his heart and her hand on this chest. Whether he was awake or still sleeping, he pulled his left arm that had been flung over a pillow around her back and pressed her closer into his side placing his head on hers. That's how he was holding her when Emma feel asleep feeling at home for the first time in over a month. 


	5. The Morning After

Emma woke the following morning to a thick crust of sleep in her eyes. She felt well rested but sore in the neck from leaning her head on Jules as she slept. She was alone in the bedroom but could hear Julian showering and see light peaking under his bathroom door. She could tell by the lack of any other light it was still early in the morning and thought it best to creep back into her room while she had the chance to go undetected. Slowly she made her way through the hallways cursing the cold floors on her bare feet. To her dismay in front of her own bedroom door was the one person she really didn't want to see Mark. Its almost as if he was standing there waiting for her to appear. Emma felt she had nothing to lose so she opened her door and was planning on dashing inside without a look or word to Mark but to her even greater dismay he stopped in front of her open door before she could close it.

"Morning Emma," he stated.

"Morning," she replied putting as much finality as she could in the statement as she went to shut the door literally in his face.

"Do you mind a word?" he replied as he placed a hand firmly on the outside of the door preventing it from shutting.

"Now's not really a good time," Emma replied giving up on the door and crossing her room to where she sat heavily on the perfectly made bed. There was no denying by looking around the room that she had not slept there last night.

"It will only take a moment," Mark replied as he followed her into the room leaving the door slightly ajar behind him. For some reason Emma got a strong urge to reach for a blade she kept under her bed frame. It was obvious she didn't want to speak with Mark and it was obvious he in return wasn't going to leave until she did. "I take it you were with my brother all night?" He asked though it came across as more of a statement. Emma just nodded her head in the affirmative. "I was wondering if you could explain to me what is wrong with Julian at the moment?"

"Well at the moment he is taking a shower so unless we are out of hot water I doubt anything is wrong with Julian." Emma curtly replied.

Mark just raised his eyebrows at her statement then paced back and forth in front of her bed as if deep in thought. Finally after an almost awkward pause he continued, "Maybe not this exact moment, I meant more since my return. I know there is a lot going on but I would have honestly never thought Julian could ever be this miserable."

"Yeah, well a lot happened while you were away," Emma threw back at Mark with a glare. "Its not your fault you weren't here, but we are all giving you, your space and time to re-adjust. You might want to take into consideration what all we have been through as well. You aren't the same person and Julian isn't the same person either."

"That I can understand, its that he looks at you like you are stabbing him in the back with a knife and turning it every other minute. What explains that?" Mark replied raising his voice with each word. Emma was furious now, to start with she didn't even want to talk to Mark and most definitely not about her parabatai and now he had the audacity to blame her for his brothers miserable state. It was more than that even she thought as she stood up and got into Mark's face she was worse off than Jules and she was trying everything she could to help him. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes before she started screaming back at Mark that wouldn't help the situation. She thought about all she had been trying to do for Jules but in reality all she had done was push him almost to the breaking point making coy advances at him to get what she wanted. Maybe Mark was right, maybe she was just turning a knife in his back but that didn't excuse the fact he was standing in her room, uninvited giving his two cents on the situation.

"He's your parabatai Emma. You know what the means," Mark stated in a low almost whisper of a voice.

She finally opened her eyes and stared Mark down with all her worries, hate and desperation, "So?"

"Let him go," was all Mark said as he left her room. Somehow within seconds Emma had grabbed the blade under her bed and thrown it so hard at the door it slammed shut with a loud thud. Mark was very lucky that he had exited as quickly as he did.

Emma decided to sneak in the kitchen and grab some provisions versus eating in the dining room with all the other Institute residents and guests. She went to her room and donned herself in gear and weapons. It was still too early to leave but she was determined that she would locate one of the witnesses that had reported on the demon activity the night before. After sharpening every blade and readjusting every article of clothing she could think of nothing else to kill time but head to the training room. There she finally caught a break only Seth and Cristina had managed to make their way to the room so far this morning.

"Wow," Seth stated upon seeing her. "I forget sometimes how much you can look like a blonde Lara Croft when you are all geared up."

Emma just raised an eyebrow and gave him a confused stare. Cristina just laughed in response she had no idea what Seth was talking about 99% of the time. Emma at least could figure it was a pop culture reference just one she wasn't familiar with.

"Where are you headed?" Cristina asked.

"Out on a mission. Anyone up to join me?" Emma asked.

"What about Diana? Did she clear this mission?" Cristina replied.

"No of course not. But then when has that ever stopped me?" Emma responded with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I'm down," stated Seth. Emma inwardly groaned Seth wouldn't be her first choice or her third but she also didn't expect to run into much trouble. Then again it's usually when you didn't expect trouble that it found you. She tightened her left hand feeling the fairie work ring on her finger. "I mean everyone pretty much lets you do whatever you want. It's much easier than trying to tell you what to do. We probably won't even get into any trouble." Seth added.

"Alright I'm down too I guess." Cristina stated. "I mean as long as down means going and not literally falling down or being sent down to hell." Cristina was obviously not familiar with the mundane phrase.

"Alright grab some weapons and meet me outside in 10. We are just going to see some vampires no big deal." Emma stated turning and marching out the door of the training room. She had made it almost to the front door when Jules made his exit from the dining room that unfortunately opened into the same hallway.

"Where are you going?" Jules called after her jogging to catch her before she reached the door.

"I'm going to see if I can locate one of the witnesses to the event last night. Just in case the report missed anything I'd rather hear it first hand," Emma replied. "It's no big deal I am sure Sultry Sally can point me in the right direction." Emma added mentioning a particular disgusting Hollywood Boulevard vampire that was constantly in debt to Emma who often brought her bagged blood in the daylight hours for information. "I'd ask you to go but I need you to cover for us. Cristina and Seth are going to tag along just tell Diana its part of last night's Clave request. I doubt she'll look into it much."

"Hey," Jules stated grabbing her arm and closing the distance between them. "I'm sorry about last night. You know storming off when we got back. You don't have to take anyone else I'm your parabatai I should be with you."

"I'm not mad. I just didn't want to bother you with this I'm sure it's a waste time you have more important things to do." Emma said as she directed her eyes anywhere but Jules face. She was strangely aware of his hand on her bare forearm.

"Not mad? Then why did you disappear this morning? You were right you know I don't care what anyone thinks. It's the best sleep I've had in weeks and I didn't even realize you were there until I woke up," Jules stated in a quieter voice.

"No, you were right. People are stupid it's no one's business what we do or do not do," Emma replied with a blush and a lot of resentment in her voice. All she could think of was Mark's face when she stated Jules was in the shower. She realized now what he must have thought at the time, it would explain his harsh response. It also was a reminder that it would be impossible to keep something like a romantic relationship a secret in a building housing dozens of people. Especially when those people are family, family never seemed to recognize personal space. Finally Emma looked up and saw something in Jules face, something that reminded her that Mark thought he was miserable and that she was responsible.

"Whatever," Jules responded. "Hurry back I can only hold Diana off so long before she talks to Arthur and who knows if he even remains the message from the Clave last night."

"Thanks," Emma said with sincerity wishing she could take a redo on the whole conversation it could have actually been a nice moment. Somehow she had done everything wrong, again.


	6. Unfinished chapters (authors note)

I am so sorry I did not finish this story. My intention was to complete before release of Lady Midnight. I do have a good excuse I was writing this pregnant with twins and they came 4 1/2 weeks early and were in the NICU for two weeks. Now that Lady Midnight is out I am dying to read it but some of the new snippets I have seen have ruined my thought process as they touch on plotlines I was creating in my story as well. I am posting the remaining chapters I had completed though one is more of a background story for a new character and I was planning on adding two chapters prior to these (sometimes I skip around when writing). Hopefully you will forgive me and give me a second chance to write something new in which I allow myself a longer timeline to complete it as taking care of twins not to mention my toddler and working full time will keep me pretty busy. Thank you for following me this is the first time I have written fan fiction not original material.

Missing chapters prior to these I wanted to write a scene where Emma visited a shady vampire in West Hollywood to get information on the LA murders from the prologue of Lady Midnight Cassandra Clare uses Johnny Rook as the informant (great minds think alike though Cassandra is a way better writer than I am)

I also wanted a conversation between Emma and Clary on how she is reworking the parabatai rune so that it will allow someone to marry their parabatai I know from snippets Cassandra is going to explain why one cant be romantically involved with their parabatia but havent read the book just yet wanted to post something here first. My theory was the two runes overlapped in a way that made it impossible but Clary thinks the runes can be better and was waiting to solve the problem before she marries (I slightly touch on this in a chapter)

Sorry rough was just working the concept things come to be easier when I start writing back and forth dialogue

Thanks again


	7. Bed and breakfast

Clary was slowing waking from a long, restful night of sleep. Though her mind was awake she definitely did not want to open her eyes, she was just so comfortable. She had painted the room she shared her fiance Jace a light blue and had located all the most comfortable sheets, pillows and the most glorious, golden duvet from the various rooms in the Herondale manor and placed them all on the large bed that dominated the small room All the bright whites, tans and golds set against the sky colored walls gave it a very Mediterranean feel. In short it was the kind of room that made you want to lounge lazily all day and night long.

Though she had went slightly overtop painting and decorating the house, since Jace had given her free range to do as she pleased, she had managed to keep their bedroom as plain as her taste allowed, knowing Jace was more of a minimalist. They choose to use the guest room on the main floor versus the upstairs master suite as their bedroom. The master had at one time been Jace's parents giving it a slight weird vibe for them both. In fact most of the top floor consisted of closed off rooms, they simply didn't need or want the space. She supposed being a New Yorker the six roomed first level of the home was just too overwhelming on its own.

She could feel the slight warmth of the sun's rays creeping in through the French doors set on the opposite wall and slowly crawling up her feet to her legs. She almost thought she could hear someone walk across the bricked patio, which could be the case as Selene their caretaker lived a short distance away in a carriage house. I should really get up she was thinking but the slight tilt of the mattress and warmth of her backside suggested Jace was still in bed so there was nothing in this world that could make her consciously open her eyes. She felt him roll over and an arm was slung over her hip under the sheets.

"Oh," Jace quietly gasped as he undoubtably felt her bare skin under his arm. She had been so tired from painting in a small room she used as a studio in their house, that she had taken a quick shower and slid into bed without bothering to dress. Jace had already been asleep at the time, which was usual given how he'd thrown himself into training lately. He was consumed with whipping his new team into shape and being particularly fond of Selene's cooking he had put on more muscle than ever. His arm was almost too heavy on Clary's side, she almost missed the scrawnier version of her love from when they first met. She never complained that Jace was just even more manly, she knew she was only too lucky.

At that moment, she felt him nuzzle his face into her hair, inhaling her scent to the point it tickled her ear and she couldn't help but slightly giggle.

"So you are awake," Jace stated, "and I was so looking forwarding to waking you up."

"Hmmmm,"Clary purred back at him, "so sleepy must be dreaming." Jace apparently accepted this as an invitation or a challenge as he took the next half hour waking her up in the most pleasant ways imaginable. This however made Clary more content and more resolved not to move from bed, despite the important day that awaited her.

"I smell coffee," Jace whispered in her ear.

"Damn, you know my weakness all to well," Clary grumbled back having just pulled him back towards her after his third attempt to untangle himself from her body.

"Also did I mention that bakery in town told me they have a pastry delivery service?" He questioned.

"You lie," stated Clary finally turning to face and preceding to glare at him.

"I signed us up for an assorted box to be delivered every other day. Yes I know I am a god among men," Jaced responded as he propped himself on one elbow and puffed out his chest. His arrogance didn't last long as his eyes softened. He brushed her hair over her right shoulder to allow him to kiss her clavicle, then her chin, finally her lips one last time before springing from bed.

Clary just sighed, how could she ever deny him anything. Despite her slight hitch in breath and increased heart rate she managed to allow Jace to escape her grasp and rolled out of bed and followed him into the bathroom. After they both brushed their teeth, washed up and each tamed their hair, resulting in only one small water fight and shoulder pushing incident they dressed and crossed the room to enter the kitchen and living area. Jace had beaten Clary to the door retrieving the delivered pastries, he was good to his word. She picked through finding one of her favorites, a chocolate drizzled croissant and reached over to the edge of the island where her favorite mug was waiting to be filled with coffee. Jace had recently become more disciplined of an eater throwing some fresh looking berries into his bran cereal. Only in Idris, Clary thought, could people grow fruit in the dead of winter. She sat enjoying her breakfast staring at Jace and ticking off the days to do list silently in her mind. She decided to add brainstorming for a birthday present for Jace. She really didn't want to leave it to the last minute this year but wanted to get just the perfect thing, he was always pleasantly surprising her with the most thoughtful gifts. Jace was much quicker in finishing off meals and had already finished his bowl of cereal and had half a doughnut down when she threw the rest of her croissant away. She had too many worries rolling around in her mind, her stomach following suit. Of course he would notice and worry himself.

"Don't tell me now you no longer want to eat that shop out of croissants?" He questioned trying to sound casual.

"No it's delicious. Really thank you." Clary glanced down trying to avert her eyes deeply staring into her black coffee. "I think I just stayed up to late my internal clock has decided it wants brunch today, I'll wait to attack the rest of these." She moved the pastries over to the side jumping down from the stool she had grabbed in front of the island and strolled around to the other side behind Jace to embrace him leaning her head right below his shoulder blades. Finishing his last mouthful of breakfast he placed his arms over hers and she could feel him smile. He found it amusing when she used her tiny frame to hold him as he so often held her, of course he always wanted to take in as much of her as possible. He suddenly turned in her arms picking her up from the back of her thighs and placing her on the counter. Now he had full access to drape himself over her from his chin on the top of her head, his arms across her shoulders and back, his body pressed to her chest, to the top of her legs, to everywhere and all around thoroughly engulfed her.

"What is it? Not looking forward to a day of solving all of the world's problems with a stele?" He knew she was holding back

Clary pondered what to say. She knew she had put a strain on their relationship lately by keeping way too big and important information to herself but could not bear to disappoint Jace anymore. He had shown so much patience with her constantly delaying setting a date for their wedding though he hadn't been in rush in the beginning recent events had made him anxious about her stalling. After he had proposed to her Clary on her birthday a year and a half ago she really had no idea how to plan a Shadowhunter wedding and they both agreed they'd just enjoy being engaged for a while. They had also bargained with Jocelyn, Clary's sometimes overbearing mother, that they wouldn't rush into an early marriage when she agreed to let Clary and Jace move to Idris together when she was barely out of training and her teenage years. Jace had already put off taking a full time Clave position that would force him to travel or relocate dragging his feet as long as he could until Clary was deemed to be done with her basic Shadowhunter training. They wanted to look for jobs together despite Clary tells Jace she was fine if they spent days apart knowing she could portal to him every possible deep down she knew it would kill her a little every day. She knew Jace had felt he was holding Alec back who was now running the New York Institute with his mother. It was hard for Alec to be the boss when the most unruly member of his team was also his best friend and parabatai.

Her heart ached when she thought of him proposing, giving her his family ring in the New York Institute's greenhouse on her birthday, which was also the anniversary of their first kiss in the exact spot it had taken place. He had planned a night of dining at Taki's then popping the question as they watched the flowers bloom tears welling in her eyes as she said yes. He had then whisked her to Pandemonium, the dance club where they had first met. Of course their whole gang of friends were present and had commandeered the VIP section. Everyone had celebrated into the next morning, it helped to have Magnus, Alec's husband and the most powerful Warlock in the five boroughs probably the whole east coast, make sure the bartenders never asked them to leave or let them stop the flow of beverages and the blaring of trance music. The best part of the entire experience was sneaking as many glances of Jace as possible. He had the most overwhelming smile that never left his lips and the warmth radiated off of him showing the slightest glow of the heavenly fire that still remained in small traces in his very blood.

Clary pulled her head back as far as the cabinets allowed looking up to gage Jacy's expression. He wasn't smiling now but was patiently waiting for her to drift her focus back to his question. She knew that a recent brush with a greater demon that had left Jace recovering for two weeks had made him more serious lately. The most obvious result of which were that for the first time he was begging Clary to marry him quickly, to elope, he told her to plan a mundane wedding anything to solidify their relationship. She knew the rush was due to the old Shadowhunting property laws meaning without some legally binding form of their bond she wouldn't inherit Jace's personal or family inherited assets including the home that she was mainly responsible for putting together after decades of neglect. She also wasn't an idiot and realized it was also something Jace truly wanted to accomplish in his life. He knew better than almost anyone how quickly you could lose it all, so many times they had both thought they had lost each other or at least the possibility of being together. She also knew, though he rarely mentioned it that he wanted his own family someday. She thought of how he had been such a fatherly figure to Max, the youngest sibling of his adopted family and to his increasing bond with Selene's son Amas whom dashed as quick as his small legs could get him to Jace's side at every opportunity. The guilt was slowly eating away at Clary and she knew Jace could read it on her face.

She had so many concerns about her own health and ability to be a mother. The two of them weren't exactly human, they weren't even exactly normal Shadowhunters. What did it mean to be different among a race of half human, half angel, demon hunters? What kind of family life could they provide a child? What would happen if the two of them carrying the same untainted angel blood in their veins, not to mention the added combination of heavenly fire tried to produce offspring? She really wanted to figure out how to solve the problem of marrying Jace when ever fiber of her being told her to that she had to fix the marriage runes before she even thought about the next step. Sometimes life or fate or karma or whatever it was responsible for throwing you a curveball was a real witch.

"I'm not going to try and solve the world's problems today, just my own babe." She finally managed to grunt out followed by a deep sigh.

"What problems?" Jace asked, She could literally feel him trying to stay relaxed and calm but his darting eyes gave him away.

"I'm going to see the silent brother today," she was determined to get this out if it killed her and his reaction to this statement was not helping. He tensed from his fingertips to his toes to his jawline.

"Why?" He managed to ask without completely taking on the tone of a commanding officer.

Uggghhhh, why didn't I just stay in bed? thought Clary. I can't do this, I can't do any of this, tell Jace, get my questions answered. Why can't I just wait one more day? She screamed to herself silently but she knew she had put this off for as long as she could bare it, the days just made her more anxious.

"I think I'm pregnant Jace," she let out with a small sigh.

"I'm going with you." was his response not missing a beat.

Clary realized now that's what she needed to hear, no matter what, it would be ok. She knew the two of them were an unstoppable team when they really needed to be.


	8. Selene's Story

Selene entered the kitchen using the back door. She was carrying a basket of fruit a mixture of berries and apples that she had collected from the manor garden. She rinsed them in the sink and located a medium bowl she had made of clay herself and that Clary had colorfully painted. The bowl's hues of green and blue stood in sharp contrast to the orange kitchen but in a surprisingly harmonious way. It was still early in the morning but the sun had risen enough to slightly warm the tiles of the floor, where the rays crept in through the arched windows. Selene noticed the coffee pot was already turned on and was beginning its dripping and gurgling, filling the room with a warm, rich, roasted scent. She personally hated the taste of coffee but loved the smell. She didn't even notice she was taking her time doing nothing in particular, until she heard muted voices coming from the first floor bedroom where Jace and Clary slept. Upon realizing she had no reason to be dawdling she crept silently towards the back door and back towards her cottage. If she had been under the impression that Jace and Clary were headed to the kitchen for breakfast she would have stayed and chatted but she had the distinct feeling the low giggles and murmurs were not part of a conversation but more likely indicating a private moment being shared between the two. Though she loved the couple she worked for and was eternally grateful for her current living situation, her heart broke at times watching the two so in love and happy and utterly confident that they would be together forever.

Selene herself had only once been in love but her love story had been burned bright and brief. She never regretted the experience though, because her heartbreak had a lasting memento in her son Arma. She had been raised not far from Herondale manor in the heart of the Brocelind Forest. Selene was a naturally born werewolf, daughter of the largest pack's leader in all of Idris. Her life took an unexpected turn when one day while chasing a deer down in the forest she had come across a Shadowhunter. He had taken down the exact stag she was tracking with a bow from high in a tree. When he descended she saw he was tall, more slender than the young werewolves she normally socialized with and handsome almost so beautiful he appeared a full blooded angel to her eyes. Upon spotting her he was not scared just looked at her with interest. She not in full wolf form but with her claws extended and her eyes a glow, though it wasn't the full moon she had been hunting so she had let some of her animal instincts take over. He politely introduced himself, his name was Amriel. He gracefully offered to help her dress the deer to take back to her family, though she later learned his family went short on meat that winter. The only favor he asked of her in return was that she agreed to meet him the following week at the same time and place. Selene had never spent time alone with one of the Nephilim, they occasionally visited the camp where her she was raised and often she would go into town to trade with local families but that was the extent of her knowledge of the demon hunters. It took two meetings to fall in love with Amriel. It was amazing how much the had in common, he lived near the woods in a modest cabin with just his father whom he loved as dearly as Selene loved her own family. They both loved to hunt, to constantly be outdoors to stare at the stars to bask in the sun to fish and swim in the streams. When Amriel proposed after spending spring and summer secretly meeting at every opportunity she said yes without hesitation, though they had no plan on where to go from there. First thing she had taken him to meet her pack. When they entered the camp the cruel, angry looks they got still gave her chills. That night as they ate around a campfire her father had asked Amriel to walk with him in the woods that was the second to last time she ever saw him. When only her father returned he had told her that he had made Amriel see the sense that there relationship would never last and he had taken his leave. Selene never truly believed this, though he never visited or contacted her and upon desperately pleading for the truth from her mother had been reassured that Amriel had not been hurt by her father or anyone member of the pack but they had scared him off and she would never see him again. Selene is not sure what she would have done if she had not found out weeks later that she was pregnant. Desperate she walked through a day and night to Alicante, to the door of the werewolves clave representative taking just a small pack of essentials. She knew the baby was Amriel's and that Nephilim blood was dominant and she would give birth to a Shadowhunter. Though the new accords guaranteed she would not have to give up her child she couldnt raise the baby in a camp of werewolves and had nowhere to go. Maia Roberts the werewolf council member had allowed her to stay at her home through her pregnancy. Several months into her pregnancy Maia had let Selene know Amriel had been located working for the Clave at an institute in remote Wrangel Island. He sent a letter for Selene along with all his earnings. The letter detailed how her father had told him there was no future for the two and that they would receive no help from their families, so Amriel had set off to earn money to help establish a new life for him and Selene. Her father had told him he could not say goodbye if he would shed a tear as showing that type of weakness in front of the pack would been an instant death. He had decided it was best to leave and instead sent letters but never heard back from Selene. He was in despair that she had not forgiven him for his abrupt departure and no longer loved him. His letter begged her to go to his father's cottage and wait for him to return. He stated he would be released from his duties by the Clave since he had sustained a permanent injury and once he was healed he would join her and they could start a life as a family. He was overjoyed that they would be having a son and felt terrible for abandoning her in such a time of need.

Selene did as he requested and traveled to his father's cabin in the country. He was a cold man but an honorable one and opened his door to her. She learned that Amriel's injury was in fact from a werewolf pack was in a brutal dispute with a Yeti clan in Siberia. The two groups were battling where the supplies for the Institute were delivered. Amriel thinking he could easily reason with the pack had gotten in between the warring groups and lost a leg though." Selene couldn't bear to think of Amriel recovering alone and traveled the long journey to the institute. She arrived in time to be at Amriel's death bed. He begged for forgiveness for thinking he had nothing to live for he had neglected his recovery until it was too late. He was ashamed of not believing in the love they had shared. She assured him all was forgiven and she would never love another as she had loved her angel. Selene was a survivor and returned to Idris with her heavy heart and her will to do the best she could by her their child. She knew living in the city of Alicante was not ideal that's when Maia introduced her to Jace and Clary.

They were relocating to a family home in the country and needed someone to watch over the household during their travels and help with the gardens. She felt blessed for they loved her son and provided him with good role models of his kind. In return Selene made sure they actually had food in the house, the bills were paid and nothing went too neglected at times she felt as his the couple were her children as well. They didn't have any interest in actually running a household. She even took Amas to visit her parents and Amriel's father occasionally so he always knew he had family. She sighed looking back at the house knowing it was filled with a kind of love she no longer had in her life. She wrapped her coat around her more tightly and walked back to the cottage before her son would wake and look for her.


	9. Yuletide

Emma stared at herself in the mirror not quite sure what to think. Cristina, her friend and fellow Shadowhunter at the LA Institute had spent the last half hour getting her beautified. At least that's what she called it. Emma thought covering her in war paint would be a better analogy. Emma had no problem putting on the occasional lip gloss and mascara and on more than one occasion had found it useful to glam it up to blend in while doing downworlder surveillance. She never imagined that blush, blue eyeliner and silver eye shadow could make her look well pretty. She wasn't one of those girls that refused to find beauty in other females or herself, she wasn't a self hater. She thought Cristina was very pretty she just never thought of herself that way it was too feminine of a word. At times she thought an outfit made her hot enough to turn heads and felt she could look badass but pretty to her meant flower dresses and curly hair neither and of these things described her style. She had pin straight blond hair, a fair complexion that only managed to hold a tan half of the year and that had faded. She had an average build not willowy and delicate and despite her lean muscles she didn't really look athletic just your average California girl.

Diana was convinced the teenagers of the Institute needed to get out and celebrate the holidays, Christmas was in two days. Emma wasn't sure if Diana really thought they needed some holiday cheer or just wanted them all out of the place for a night for some peace and quiet. The Shadowhunter Academy was having its first annual Christmas party and any and all training teenage Shadowhunters were invited. The Blackthorn twins Ty and Livvy were old enough to attend but Ty had flat out refused, he tended to get social anxiety. So he was staying behind with Livvy, Dru and Tavvy. Livvy wouldn't attend without her twin. Everyone else was attending Cristina, Diego, Cameron, surprisingly even Mark and Julian. This was the reason Emma had agreed to attend even though her lack of progress in solving the magical murder spree in Los Angeles made her wish she could stay back and search the darker texts in the library without being disturbed.

The were running late since a Warlock was supposed to meet them outside five minutes ago but supposedly some other party goers were traveling in from surrounding areas to grab the same portal so Em hoped they hadn't missed their opportunity to transport to Idris. She ended up all but dragging Cristina away from the mirror and downstairs to the front door. She was dressed in a skintight red number with a Spanish flare she looked gorgeous with her finger wave curls and red lipstick. The rest of her makeup was minimal except the copious amounts of mascara Emma thought she looked like Selma Hayek in From Dusk Til Dawn. She wondered to herself if that's the kind of girl Julian was attracted to, one that could pass as a Vampire. Emma herself was wearing a long blue grey dress that was pretty plain but had a high slit and a low back that made it somewhat riskier and luckily for her easier to run in as she flew out the door and turned the corner she could see only Mark was left standing in front of the portal.

"Phew we made it!" She said finally letting go of the death grip she had on Cristina's hand.

"Well, well you seem excited to go now," Cristina smirked.

"Well after spending hours waxing, teasing and painting my body I at least want a glass of champagne at out of it," Emma responded not taking her eyes off Mark.

He was staring at them having not moved from in front of the portal. He was dressed in all black that made him look hotter and creepier than ever. Emma had to shake her head and remind herself that she had internally made her choice between the two Blackthorn brothers and that her resolve could not keep wondering or she would never be able to move on. She concentrated on his right, gold eye and she walked towards him. This always seemed to remind her of the changes in Mark looking into his blue green eye brought back too many memories of the old Mark. Though he was more annoying back before his capture he was also more familiar, comfortable with her and would always be her first crush. The first boy to get her blood pumping vigorously kind of like it was now as she stopped to stand behind him.

"Ladies first," He spoke to her and Cristina gesturing with his hand that they should proceed.

Emma turned to Cristina grabbed her hand again just in case she decided to check her reflection in her pocket mirror delaying them even more, but of course she was too busy drooling over Mark at the moment. Seriously?! Thought Emma I feel like my libido has gotten away from me lately but there wasn't a guy or girl that didn't seem to catch Cristina's eye. She pulled tighter on Christina's hand nodding towards the tall, skinny Warlock in politeness and stepped through the portal turning as quickly as she could. The Warlock seemed slightly translucent and it was giving her a headache to separate him from the wall behind him.

They quickly landed somewhat gracefully in the dead grass slightly covered in frost about 50 yards from the Shadowhunter Academy. Emma had not seen the building in a while and though it still appeared to look part Hogwarts castle, part medieval dungeon she thought overall it had more of an upkept look. The Academy appeared it might not totally fall over at any moment at least not without a little bit of effort from an invading war clan. Overall it was an improvement from the state of the building over the last year and a half but maybe that was just the result of well placed boughs of holly and garland hanging around the main entrance. It was colder here, back in LA that was having a record warm December. Emma regretted not bringing a coat but she hated to carry things around all night. She glanced at Cristina who had a wrap, purse, parasol and cell phone clutched in her free hand and under her right arm. She was glad when she heard Mark arrive behind them and he set a brisk pace towards the entrance she hurried to keep up.

An hour later Emma thought the party was going fairly well and not a complete waste of time. The venue was especially good for people watching. There were all sorts of Shadowhunters, she couldn't begin to guess at the number of party goers or how many countries might be represented there. She heard the Tokyo institute was throwing a big bash as well not to be outdone by the Academy so it appeared this party was mainly filled with Europeans and Shadowhunters from the Americas. She had spotted Julian shortly after arriving he was mainly keeping to one corner of the largest open room scanning the crowd and staring into his punch most of the night. Cameron was surprisingly by Julian's side most of the night though the two weren't exactly the best of friends. Emma was spying her next chance to talk to Jules if the other boy would ever leave his side.

"May I refresh your drink?" A male voice whispered into Emma's ear over her shoulder with a slight Eastern European accent.

Emma turned surprised to see a dark haired, dark eyed boy probably her age or maybe even a year or two younger. He was stricting with his dark features but standing uncomfortably close to her which in her book was a bad move. He's lucky they were at a party she had two weapons hidden on her body if he had done that in a dark alley it would be game over. Though Emma never cared for wine she did like Champagne especially the kind you often found in Idris it was sweeter, less bitter than the stuff she was allowed to sip on at Shadowhunter events back in the States.

"Sure," she replied in a polite but cautious manner. She downed her last gulp she had still been working on her first glass though she had probably held it for over half an hour it was way too warm to be satisfying but she wasn't here to get tipsy. The boy smiled all too confidently and crossed the room to the corner where Jules and Cameron still stood posted by a waiter carrying a tray of full Champagne flutes. The dense crowd was slowing his progress back and in the meantime Cristina had appeared by her side.

"He's cute I'm surprised you haven't already been completely surrounded by male admirers. You do look amaze tonight" She giggled to Emma. She looked flush like maybe she had partaken in more than one beverage already.

"He's smug and maybe only fifteen I might split before he can find his way back. Anyways all the guys are looking at you tonight," Emma replied scanning the room to locate Jules who was no longer by Cameron in the corner. Instead she caught sight of Mark and he was staring directly at her. He gave a slight smile when their eyes met and then politely shifted to scan the crowd though Emma didn't think he had been doing that before she caught him gazing at her. A small shudder went through her body.

"Oh they are looking, looking at me like Im something to be eaten up, but they are all gazing at you like your a fairy freaking princess. Seriously I'm not one to judge but we both are looking like nines or tens tonight definitely two of the hottest chicks here. Probably the two hottest chicks are here alone," was Cristina's reply.

"Are we alone? Where's your loverboy Diego," Emma asked since she hadn't actually seen him in a while come to think of it Cristina had been missing for at least the last 20 or 30 minutes.

"Hmmmm she replied I think Diego may just fall into loverboy territory. He's obviously too stubborn and conceited of a bastard to ask me out properly. We might just end of being a secret fling and then I'll move on," She replied and Emma noticed her cheeks were flush.

Though her response had stirred an idea inside Emma she looked at her with concern. Emma realized she needed to concentrate on what she had said. It sounded like Cristina might need some good girl advice but that really wasn't Emma's strong suit and she wasn't sure what to say. "Cristina, I don't believe you. You have feelings for Diego. Yes he is cocky but I think he might feel the same way, I know it's not your style but maybe you should talk to him about it," that was the best Emma thought she could come up with. Cristina looked slightly shocked but not upset and did seem to be toying with the notion.

"And don't drink too much," Emma added as she saw the dark haired boy had almost return and slipped away into the crowd as quickly as possible. She let her training kick in and made herself, slight almost invisible keeping behind taller party goers and scanning for Julian. Ok she thought to herself I haven't located him after two attempts he's left the room. Where could he be? It made the most sense that he would have used the closest exit to where he had been standing if he'd crossed to other set of open doors she would have noticed. She thought as she proceeded to the large open oak doors set in the stone walls. She tried to take in as much of the room as she could just making sure she hadn't missed anything but it was so pressed with people and tables laden with food and drink she couldn't even make out any of the decorations. It was just a large gray stone room so full of people wearing every color of the rainbow she surprised she had managed to enjoy herself at all it just felt claustrophobic now. Tonight though was not about trying to relax anymore it was solely about getting Jules to talk to her maybe that was her only intention in the first place and she was just now acknowledging that to herself.

Outside the doors there was a small open foyer and a set of large, stone stairs that were dimly lit by witchlight. There were some people milling around the foyer mainly couples talking and flirting most likely trying to get away from the press of people and loud music in the main banquet hall. Emma took to the stairs at a brisk pace wondering how she was ever going to find anyone or anyplace in this maze the first landing she reached had a hallway leading into two directions and more doors than she could count. She was pretty sure if she started opening doors she'd be interrupting some steamy private moments. She started to wonder if the Clave had supported this party more in the hopes of Shadowhunters producing more Shadowhunter. They were pretty desperate to replenish the ranks and this party seemed to be working as well as any Mortal Cup. She thought as she walked past a door from which emitted squeals and moans. She wasn't sure if her jealously disturbed her more or the actual sounds. She was about to turn around and try the other direction when she noticed the corridor ended in a stain glass window and she swore she recognized the back of someone's head turn in front of it. Where did he go? She thought as she sped even more quickly towards the end of the hallway. Right before the window it appeared the hallway had two small alcoves to each side. In front of the left alcove stood Julian he was taking in a piece of artwork hanging in the alcove over a small display table. It looked very old and dark with just the moonlight through the stain glass window illuminating it but somehow it was beautiful despite all that.

"I like it," Emma quietly spoke shrugging her shoulders. Julian turned not looking surprised to found her there. He knew she never really knew what to say to art she always just told him she like it or she didn't.

"I think it's kind of brash, yet I like it too,"Julian replied. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," She replied.

"Why?" He asked shoving his hand in his dark dress pants looking down.

"You know why?" She replied getting her first good look at him tonight. He had dark dress pants and shoes on but just an artistically print t shirt under his dark jacket that was unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up. He looked handsome and like Jules.

"I know you keep wanting to talk to me and to patch things up but I don't know why?" He responded. "What do you want from me Ems?"

Emma grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hallway, again she was afraid to open any doors to any rooms that might already be inhabited but she saw one door set into the right hand wall that was definitely smaller than the rest maybe a closet or bathroom. She swung open the door revealing a linen closet the scent was pleasing like dryer sheets. She pulled Julian in behind her and turned to face him reaching behind his back to pull the door shut. He just looked at her like your are crazy raising an eyebrow daring her to challenge his assessment.

"Ok," Emma stated turning to pace back and forth as much as she could in the small space. "You've just admitted we need to patch things up. In turn admitting you have been avoiding me, giving me the cold shoulder, being anything but a good friend and parabatai." She placed her hands on her hips and gave him a cold stare, this wasn't exactly how she wanted this encounter to go but the frustration that had been building up inside was pouring out.

"Yes, I admit I have been keeping my distance. You know I don't approved of you single handedly trying to solve your parents case. Anyways you have Cristina, Diego, Mark and Cameron, why are you so determined to have me following you around as well?" Julian spit out saying each name as if it was poison in his mouth.

"I don't have anyone. Cameron and I have barely spoken since we broke up. Diego drives me crazy, Cristina staring at Diego drives me crazy and yes Mark has been somewhat helpful since he knows more about the fairy lands than I do but that's also because I'm about the only one who will talk to him. Also I think he pities me because he has noticed that we haven't been exactly getting along." She replied slowly controlling her temper she was maybe only at defcon level three now.

"I've been busy too you know. Painting, training, taking care of four kids, not to forget my uncle and the entire Institute," he stated back vehemently. "Anyways its your choice not take everyone up on their offer of company at least you know you have your choice. I mean the way everyone looks at you, follows you, hangs on your every word, why do you even need me?"

"Ok I haven't been the most help, but I can't help if you don't talk to me if you don't tell me what you need. And people don't fawn all over me seriously you know I couldn't stand that and even if they did I just need you. I've always just needed you." She replied.

Jules placed his head in his hands looking down at the floor again shaking his head back and forth it's like he couldn't even look at her. She reached over to his chin and forced him to look her in the eyes. She had managed to stop pacing and was staring directly at him.

"I'm not falling for it. Whatever excuses you make I am not buying them. I hate to make this about me but I don't think you are just stressed out or that you're jealous of Cameron or Cristina and definitely not Diego," She stated. "Tell me."

"Mark," was his only response.

"Yes he exists he is a person your brother in fact. Are you jealous of him?" She tentatively asked.

"Yes," Julian stated. "I wanted to give you two some space, to give you a chance. I thought as long as he might think that I wanted you as more than a friend than he'd never you know make his more or whatever." At this last remark he looked disgusted.

"Do you?" Emma asked her throat becoming dry.

"Do I what?" He responded.

"Like me as more than a friend?" Emma's throat was on fire now, her lips drying she wanted to lick them.

"Yes and no. I know my options are pretty limited on that front. I asked you to be my parabatai so I had some kind of claim on you. I thought at the time that was really my only option. I would rather have you as my best friend than not at all. I was young and I was stupid. I now realize that if the option was available to make you more than my friend I would have done anything. I would have never given up. I would have made that happen for us. So now I am trying to give you the next best thing. I know you . one to chase boys but I know at one time you liked Mark. I figured I could force that to happen again. He's super weird and all but he's a nice enough guy and you'd official be family then." Jules sighed like telling her this took a little weight off his shoulders. He didn't waiver from holding her gaze and set his face into a stone cold mask.

"Kiss me," Emma told him part demanding, part questonning.

"What?" Jules looked incredulous. "We can't Emma." He tried to step back to put some distance in between them but she just grabbed his wrist and pulled them even closer together there was maybe an inch between their bodies.

"You know I've been studying the parabatai law a lot, like a whole lot lately. Parabatai aren't allowed to take marriage runes with each other, we aren't supposed to fall in love, but then again how can that even be proven. You know what the law does not state? There is nothing about kissing, nothing about living together, nothing about being partners in the biblical sense." She felt a cold sweat cover her back. She supposed she should be ashamed or blush but she didn't and she wouldn't.

Jules just looked at her like he'd been slapped in the face. He didn't move an inch but just took Emma in like she was as creature he'd never seen, never even heard of in his life.

"Unless you have no interest," She glared back at him. "Kiss me."

Emma always assumed she would have to take the lead if she was ever to kiss Jules. Now she realized he needed to make this move, to declare what he wanted in a physical way. She knew or thought she knew what she wanted but she really wasn't sure about him. She wouldn't force it. She knew teenage boys were substable to kissing girls back they didn't even necessarily like, when presented the opportunity.

"Why?" he asked again.

"Jules, I want this. I always thought fighting and having your family was enough for me. It's not. I need more in my life. I know it sounds superficial and like I am ungrateful but it's true. I think this might be the only path for us. If it doesn't work or you don't feel the same way that's fine I can survive this and move on. I think if we don't try we'll always regret it, or at least I will. I've said my piece if you're not interested I'll let it go," was her reply.

Jules realized this was the end of her speech. This was probably his first and his last chance but he was frozen. Finally, after a lease a full minutes pause he closed the distance between them embracing Emma in a hug, a desperate tight hug.

"I don't want you to let go. I don't want you to give up. I know that probably sounds selfish too but it's just as true," Jules whispered in her ear. He pulled his head back just enough to allow him to kiss her and he did. It was a sweet kiss, a gentle and slow kiss and somewhat awkward until they both hit their stride and it became as easy as hugging each other or holding each other's hands. They just fit like a key to a lock and something turned inside both of them. The kiss went on and on that way. Jules had moved his hands to her waist and Emma had one hand placed on the back of his neck and the other on his shoulder keeping the perfect distance between them to allow a soft kiss without moving the press of their bodies apart. The atmosphere in the small closet began to change the temperature rose from their mutual body heat and rising heart rates. They slowly pressed even more into each other Emma wrapping her arms around to his back slightly pressing him to let him know she didn't want him to break apart. They finally unlocked lips and he kissed her forehead. Then placed his face against hers touching cheek to cheek as he was only slightly taller than her with heels on. He ran one hand down the bare part of her back.

"Is it better for you, knowing how I feel?" She asked.

"Yes and no," Jules sighed.

"You say that a lot. Its either yes or no," She laughed letting the tension of the last month escape. The knot in her chest was beginning to unravel. She hadn't hugged Jules like this in what seemed a long time. At least a long time for the two of them who had embraced each other almost daily for years. The hug was almost as nice as the kiss but the kiss was definitely better in a lot of ways that Emma couldn't even categorize.

"Yes, I am glad we had this talk and that I'll always have this night, this memory. The no is the part of me that will be even more broken when you eventually wise up and move on," Jules said letting out small and content sigh.

"Oh you know me, I always choose the toughest path and this might just be the hardest one yet. But you know what they say nothing good comes easily," Emma replied.

"So now what?" Jules asked.

"Oh you'll see, I have lots of ideas," Emma replied.

"Good ideas?" Jules questioned pulling back so he could see her expression.

"Yes and no," She replied reaching, closing the gap between his lips and hers.


End file.
